


The AJ Crowley 'Ask for Touch' Challenge Day 1

by sheendav



Series: Scenes from the South Downs [12]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Anxious Aziraphale (Good Omens), Anxious Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Caring Aziraphale (Good Omens), Caring Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Cuddling & Snuggling, Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, In the Loving Head-Scratches Sort of Way, Intimacy, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Scratching, South Downs Cottage (Good Omens), Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-25
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:42:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26639017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheendav/pseuds/sheendav
Summary: A challenge has been set... get the Anxiety Demon to ask the Anxiety Angel... clearly and explicitly... for one kind of 'touch' from his celestial fiance per day for one week.  Can they do it?  We shall see!Let's start with something familiar at the beloved Bookshop...
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Scenes from the South Downs [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1848463
Comments: 6
Kudos: 87





	The AJ Crowley 'Ask for Touch' Challenge Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> A collection of one-offs from Crowley and Aziraphale's life in the South Downs, written in the same universe as 'Introduction to Touch' by the same author. It is not 100% necessary to read that story beforehand, but all of these little tales make more sense if you know the history of touch created for them in that original core story. The most important thing to know is that Aziraphale is deeply insecure about sex, touch and his body. By the time they get to the South Downs, the Angel's confidence is slowly building and these one-offs will show the growth of that confidence.

Seven days. Seven asks. That is the challenge at hand… and Crowley has no idea how it's going to go… 

A few days ago, while driving back to London after another glorious weekend at the cottage, Aziraphale had encouraged Crowley to try a grand 'experiment' the Angel had gleefully devised. It is an experiment grounded in a deep fear on the part of the Demon, but one he knows he needs to confront as their relationship continues to move forward and grow. 

Crowley has trouble asking the Angel for touch; and why wouldn't he, given that his partner is highly touch-sensitive? But after a wonderful weekend where Crowley had indeed delved into asking for exactly what he wanted during their last sexual encounter, the Angel had suggested they keep the momentum of bravery going on both their parts, and start a week-long challenge of Crowley requesting specific kinds of touch from the Angel. 

The rules are these:  
1\. Crowley must ask for at least one kind of touch from Aziraphale per day for one week.  
2\. Crowley must request the touch verbally… no grunting or nuzzling or trying to use his eyebrows to communicate.  
3\. The touch can be sexual or not.  
4\. The Angel has complete permission to deny the request.  
5\. The Demon must accept any parameters the Angel puts on the touch, and not be disappointed if the scenario doesn't play out exactly as he wants.  
6\. They will talk through any awkwardness that comes up during any part of the process.  
7\. They will love each other, completely and unconditionally, no matter how the experiment goes. 

Again, Crowley is nervous… he never wants to do anything, purposeful or accidental, to hurt his Angel. He waited 6,000 years for the gift of Aziraphale's love as it currently stands. He wants to be respectful of the Angel's needs, never wants to overstep or worse, drive him away. 

And…

Above all else he wants the Angel to be happy… and Aziraphale swears that this attempted exercise will indeed make him happy. So… they will try it… four days in London and another three back at the cottage… one week… the Demon can do this… he just has to have a little faith.

***

Day 1- Monday: The Bookshop 

Although Aziraphale's long and complex sign on the door of AZ Fell & Co. says the shop is open until 5pm on Mondays, it is 3:30pm and the Angel's fingers are literally twitching to lock the door. Crowley can tell. The Demon is lounging on the couch in the back, trying not to be noticed and looking forward to soothing the Angel's frustration on having to sell one of his 15 first edition copies of a book by Milton. He already knows what Aziraphale will say on the matter,

"I know I have several… a few of them SIGNED… but 15 was just such a lovely solid number of copies Crowley…" 

The Demon tries not to chuckle over the image of his fiancé, lips properly pouted, as he frets over how he's going to get another copy as soon as possible.

At 3:45pm, the two browsing university students shuffle out, and the Angel promptly locks the door, flips the sign to closed, snaps the shades down, lights the lamps, and even causes the telephone to stop connecting as he trudges up the stairs to make himself a calming cup of tea or cocoa. Oh dear, the loss of the Milton copy is worse than Crowley thought… but perhaps he can save this situation at least a little…

When he hears Aziraphale coming back down from the flat above the shop he gently calls out, "Hey, um… Angel?" 

Aziraphale huffs as he comes around the corner with his cup of tea, "Oh Crowley I know it's just a book but…" 

"You know what might make you feel a little better?" 

"Using a frivolous miracle to make the book accidentally disappear from the woman's bag?"

Crowley can't help but cackle over his 'bit of a bastard' lover's words as he replies, "Naughty Angel! I really am a bad influence on you, aren't I? No um… I was thinking… maybe you'd feel better if you… um… had a head to scratch while you um… tried to distract yourself from the loss of the book…?" 

Aziraphale's eyes twinkle just a little when they meet Crowley's hopeful gaze. "Oh… well… yes I do suppose that would make me feel better. However, I would hate to presume that the only other entity in this room with me would WANT their head scratched… seems like something they would need to explicitly request first…" 

Crowley swallows the grumble bubbling up in his throat, and forcibly stops his eyes from rolling. He should have known this is how the Angel would react to his suggestion. But, after taking a breath and seeing the warmth and anticipation in Aziraphale's blue eyes, he finds the words. (Although… he can't help but sound like a pouty school boy when he asks), "May I please put my head in your lap for scratches? It might make you feel better too." 

The sincerity of the smile Crowley receives in return banishes lingering discomfort as the Angel takes a seat on the couch, places his tea on the little end table to his right, and pats his lap to give Crowley permission to lie down. 

The Demon clicks off his phone, turns on his side, pillows his head against the Angel's thigh, and purrs better than any cat in existence as soft fingers and manicured nails sink into his fiery hair. 

He half-listens to the Angel as Aziraphale devises a plan to get a new copy of the Milton book at a festival coming up next month in Bath... and wouldn't that be a lovely getaway for the two of them... they can have high tea in the Victorian tea house at the actual bath spa and… 

Crowley knows that Aziraphale knows that the Demon is going to fall asleep in about 30 more seconds… and doesn't mind at all… this really is something the two of them enjoy. The Demon gets the scratches and the closeness, and the Angel essentially uses Crowley's head as a 'worry spot' to help with his nervous energy and anxiety. 

Crowley is so glad he asked for the scratch.... perhaps this will go more smoothly than he thought...


End file.
